Coatings to increase water and grease resistance of porous materials and materials having such protection

Abstract

A method of improving gas, water, water vapor, and/or grease resistance of a porous material is disclosed which comprises treating th(e material with a wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine. In some embodiments, an optional first treatment agent may be applied to the material prior to the application of wax and poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine. Materials that have a single coating of wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine, as well as materials having a multi-layer coating that includes a first coating of a first treatment agent and a second coating of wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine are also disclosed.

1 . A method of improving the gas, water, water vapor, or grease resistance of a material, the method comprising:
 treating the material with wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine, thereby improving the gas, water, water vapor, or grease resistance and flexibility of the material.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of treating the material with a first treatment agent before the step of treating the material with wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of treating the material with the first treatment agent comprises applying the first treatment agent to a surface of the material to form a first coating. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of treating the material with wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optional polyamine comprises applying the wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optional polyamine over the first coating to form a wax/poly(vinyl alcohol)/plasticizer coating which optionally comprises a polyamine. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of treating the material with wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optional polyamine comprises applying the wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and polyamine to form a wax/poly(vinyl alcohol)/plasticizer/polyamine coating. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein improving the gas, water, water vapor, or grease resistance of the material comprises increasing the grease resistance of the material as measured by Flat Kit number and wherein the wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optional polyamine are applied in an amount sufficient to improve the grease resistance by at least 3 Flat Kit numbers. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein improving the flexibility of the material comprises increasing the grease and/or water resistance of the material as measured by Fold Kit number and wherein the wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optional polyamine are applied in an amount sufficient to improve the grease and water resistance by at least 3 Fold Kit numbers. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a porous material that is selected from the group consisting of paper, asphalt, asphalt laminations, wood, textile fabric, yarn, thread, formed articles and medical dressings. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises paper and is selected from the group consisting of cardboard, bakery board, butter chips, margarine chips, candy board, cup stock, frozen food containers, plate stock, artist's papers, carbonizing tissue, carton overwraps, cover paper, text paper, envelopes, garbage bags, trash bags, label papers, paper placemats, release papers, soap containers, wallpaper, liner board, folding cartons, multiwall bags, flexible packaging, duplicator paper, reproduction papers, medical dressings, and support cards. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises textile fabric and is selected from the group consisting of carpet, medical dressings, woven fabrics and non-woven fabrics. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first treatment agent comprises a fluorochemical compound. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first treatment agent comprises a polymer binder. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the polymer binder is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol), polyacrylate, polystyrene/polyacrylic copolymer, cellulose derivative, nitrocellulose, vinyl chloride, vinyl chloride copolymers, vinyl acrylate copolymers, vinyl acetate homopolymers, vinyl acetate copolymers, styrene butadiene polymers, styrene butadiene acrylonitrile polymers, polyvinylacetate, proteins, milk proteins, starch, and mixtures of any of these. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first treatment agent comprises wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first treatment agent comprises wax, poly(vinyl alcohol) and a polyamine. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wax is an animal wax, a mineral wax, a vegetable wax, a synthetic wax or a mixture thereof 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, beeswax, bayberry-myrtle, candelilla, caranday, carnauba, castor bean wax, esparto grass wax, Japan wax, montan crude wax, ouricury, retamo-ceri nimbi, shellac wax, spermaceti, sugar cane wax, wool wax-lanolin, polyethylene wax, poly(ethylene-acrylate) wax, or a mixture of any two or more of these. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the poly(vinyl alcohol) is selected from the group consisting of super hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol), full hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol), intermediate hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol), partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol), and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the poly(vinyl alcohol) is intermediate hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol) or partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol). 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is a polymeric and/or non-polymeric plasticizer. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the plasticizer is a polymeric plasticizer selected form the group consisting of polybutene, polyisobutylene, polybutene-1, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, and natural rubber latex. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the plasticizer is a homopolymer or copolymer made from one or more of butene, isoblutylene, butadiene, and isoprene. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the plasticizer is a copolymer having comonomers selected from one or more of styrene, acrylic acid, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, acrylate esters, ethylene, propylene, vinyl acetate, vinyl formamide, and cationic comonomers. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of treating the material comprises applying the poly(vinyl alcohol) and the wax to a sheet material at the combined rate of about 0.1 to about 3.0 lbs dry solids (d.s.) per 3000 ft 2  of surface of the material. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of treating the material comprises applying the poly(vinyl alcohol), wax, and the plasticizer to a sheet material at the combined rate of about 0.15 to about 2.0 lbs d.s./3000 ft 2  of surface of the material. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of treating the material comprises applying the poly(vinyl alcohol), the wax, and the plasticizer to a sheet material at the combined rate of about 0.15 to about 1.0 lbs d.s./3000 ft 2  of surface of the material. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the treatment comprises applying the poly(vinyl alcohol) and the wax to the material in a ratio of the poly(vinyl alcohol) to the wax, by weight, that is within a range of about 10:90 to about 90:10. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the treatment comprises applying the plasticizer to the material in a concentration of between about 10% and about 70% by weight based on the weight of the wax component. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the treatment comprises applying the plasticizer to the material in a concentration of between about 20% and about 50% by weight based on the weight of the wax component. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyamine, when present, comprises one or more of a polyoxyalkyleneamine, a polyoxyalkylenediamine, a polyoxyalkylenetriamine, or an amine-aldehyde condensate that is the reaction product of an amine containing an active hydrogen atom and an aldehyde. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the polyamine comprises a polyoxyalkyleneamine, a polyoxyalkylenediamine, a polyoxyalkylenetriamine, a dicyandiamide-formaldehyde condensate, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         32 . A porous material that has been treated by the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         33 . A porous material having a Fold Kit value greater than about 4. 
     
     
         34 . The porous material according to  claim 33 , wherein the porous material is selected from one or more of paper, asphalt, asphalt laminations, wood, textile fabric, yarn, thread, formed articles and medical dressings. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the material comprises paper and is selected from the group consisting of cardboard, bakery board, butter chips, margarine chips, candy board, cup stock, frozen food containers, plate stock, artist's papers, carbonizing tissue, carton overwraps, cover paper, text paper, envelopes, garbage bags, trash bags, label papers, paper placemats, release papers, soap containers, wallpaper, liner board, folding cartons, multiwall bags, flexible packaging, duplicator paper, reproduction papers, medical dressings, and support cards. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the material comprises textile fabric and is selected from the group consisting of carpet, medical dressings, woven fabrics and non-woven fabrics. 
     
     
         37 . A porous material having improved gas, water, water, vapor and/or grease resistance and improved flexibility comprising the porous material having a surface on which is a first coating of a first treatment agent and a second coating comprising wax, poly(vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine over the first coating. 
     
     
         38 . A composition for improving the gas, water, water vapor, or grease resistance of a material, the composition comprising wax, poly (vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and optionally a polyamine. 
     
     
         39 . A composition for improving the gas, water, water vapor, or grease resistance of a material, the composition comprising wax, poly (vinyl alcohol), plasticizer, and a polyamine. 
     
     
         40 . The composition according to  claim 38 , wherein said wax is an animal wax, a mineral wax, a vegetable wax, a synthetic wax, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The composition according to  claim 40 , wherein said wax is selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, beeswax, bayberry-myrtle, candelilla, caranday, carnauba, castor bean wax, esparto grass wax, Japan wax, montan crude wax, ouricury, retamo-ceri nimbi, shellac wax, spermaceti, sugar cane wax, wool wax-lanolin, polyethylene wax, poly(ethylene-acrylate) wax, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         42 . The composition according to  claim 38 , wherein the poly(vinyl alcohol) is selected from the group consisting of super hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol), fully hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol), intermediate hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol), partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol), and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The composition according to  claim 38 , wherein the plasticizer is a polymeric and/or non-polymeric plasticizer. 
     
     
         44 . The composition according to  claim 43 , wherein the plasticizer is a polymeric plasticizer selected form the group consisting of polybutene, polyisobutylene, polybutene-1, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, and natural rubber latex. 
     
     
         45 . The composition according to  claim 43 , wherein the plasticizer is a homopolymer or copolymer made from one or more of butene, isobutylene, butadiene, and isoprene. 
     
     
         46 . The composition according to  claim 43 , wherein the plasticizer is a copolymer having comonomers selected from one or more of styrene, acrylic acid, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, acrylate esters, ethylene, propylene, vinyl acetate, vinyl formamide, and cationic comonomers. 
     
     
         47 . The composition according to  claim 39 , wherein the polyamine is selected from the group consisting of polyoxyalkyleneamine, polyoxyalkylenediamine, polyoxyalkylenetriamine, an amine-aldehyde condensate that is the reaction product of an amine containing an active hydrogen atom and an aldehyde, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         48 . A material having improved gas, water, water vapor arid/or grease resistance and flexibility comprising a material having a composition according to  claim 38  applied as a coating. 
     
     
         49 . A material having improved gas, water, water vapor and/or grease resistance and flexibility a comprising a material having a composition according to  claim 39  applied as a coating.